Just Another Day

It was three hours before lunchtime when I arrived at the Autumn Festival venue. The place was fully set up and ready for the upcoming event.

Suddenly, I felt someone grab my shoulder.

"Aren’t you a bit early today, Rin?" a familiar voice said.

"Well, I was hoping to see you in your ceremonial dress, Liz," I replied.

Liz seemed a bit flustered but kept walking, her hand still holding my left arm. We spent a few minutes strolling around the venue, with many people glancing at us as we passed.

"Rin, you'll probably get your ceremonial clothes later this evening," Liz suddenly said. "Dad said he has a new respect for you after agreeing to the duel with Leo," she added.

"Do you regret dating me?" I asked, my voice uncertain.

"What do you mean by that, Rin?" she responded, sounding a little upset.

"I mean with Leo. You two are close childhood friends," I said.

"I won't lie, I'm sad that things could’ve been better between me and Leo, but I never regret choosing you, Rin," she replied, her tone a mix of sadness and sincerity.

She looked a bit upset as she spoke.

"Do you regret dating me, Rin?" she suddenly asked, her voice hesitant.

"Why would I? Everyday is another happy and fulfilling day when I’m with you," I replied earnestly.

"Really?" she said, her expression brightening into a smile.

After walking around the venue for a while, Liz led me to a nearby cake shop. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the cakes.

"One slice of strawberry cake," she ordered at the counter.

"Here’s your order," the shop droid said, handing her the cake.

"I’ll reserve a table for us," Liz said suddenly before walking off to an empty table.

The shop droid then turned to me. "What’s your order?"

"A slice of strawberry cake, two slices of blueberry cheesecake, a slice of chocolate cake, and two large ice-cold sodas," I replied.

Liz’s eyes widened when she saw my order.

I handed her another slice of strawberry cake, a slice of blueberry cheesecake, and a large ice-cold soda.

She gave me a concerned look. "Will your budget be okay?"

"Don’t worry about it, I have some extra points," I reassured her.

"Thanks," she smiled, then dug into the cakes.

It seemed like she’d spent quite a bit of her points on the ceremonial dress and accessories.

Normally, she would order two or three slices of strawberry cake, since it’s her favorite.

I preferred savory foods, but I didn’t mind sweet things, especially since it made me happy to see Liz enjoying her favorite treats.

"Is the preparation for the Autumn Festival done?" I asked as Liz finished her cakes.

"The venue is pretty much ready, but my dance is still not perfect," she replied.

"That’s why I’m heading home before lunch to practice," she added.

"Can I watch?" I asked.

"Hmmmm… no, I wanted to surprise you," she said with a playful grin.

"I see, I’ll look forward to your dance," I said, smiling back.

After finishing our food, I accompanied Liz to her home.

"Wait here a bit?" Liz suddenly asked as we arrived at the front door.

She dashed inside, and a few minutes later, she returned with a lunchbox in hand.

"Did you make this?" I asked, surprised.

"I... wanted to thank you for all the little things you do for me every day," she said. "I hope you’ll like it."

"Just knowing you cooked this for me makes it ten times tastier," I replied with a smile.

"I’ll head home now. I’ll return the lunchbox later," I said.

"See you soon," she said, kissing my left cheek.

She waved a few times before closing the door. I began walking back home, looking forward to the meal I was carrying in my right hand.

When I got home, I quickly opened the door, walked to the dining table, and set down the lunchbox Liz had given me.

My parents weren’t home, as most people are usually out during lunch, doing their own thing.

It worked out for me, as my parents would probably tease me if they saw the lunchbox from Liz.

After all I wanted to enjoy the meal in peace, I eagerly opened the three-layer lunchbox.

The first layer held egg fried rice, the second layer was packed with fried chicken, pork, and beef with a few dipping sauces, and the third layer contained stir-fried vegetables, fried mushrooms, and potatoes.

Liz really knows me. One of my favorite types of food is fried, as it’s crunchy and savory, and it pairs perfectly with different sauces.

She even tried to make it healthier with the stir-fried veggies, mushrooms, and potatoes.

It took me about half an hour to finish everything, and I felt completely satisfied.

I should thank Liz and tell her how delicious it was when I returned her lunchbox.

She probably spent quite a bit of her points buying the ingredients.

Filled to the brim with Liz’s homemade food, I went upstairs to begin my daily virtual training.

“You seem quite happy today,” Akasha teased.

“You already know why, Akasha,” I replied.

“Do you think you can manage to destroy a Death Doll without dying?” Akasha asked.

“I’m not sure, but I think with a few more sessions, I’ll get there,” I responded.

“I’m just curious, why haven’t you asked how I defeated the Death Dolls during the Mechanical War?” Akasha asked.

“It’s not that I’m not curious about it, but I wanted to try things on my own as much as possible,” I replied.

“It’s not about being too proud to ask for your help; I just want to become a bit more reliable by figuring things out myself.”

“I can’t rely entirely on you, Akasha, especially since you're already processing a massive amount of information at the moment,” I added.

“Thanks, Rin,” Akasha said. “Take your time,” she added as a Death Doll materialized.

After several deaths, I ended the training session.

Although I destroyed the Death Doll every time, the damage I took in the process was far too much, in short I still probably die after defeating one.

I studied the Death Doll’s abilities, noting its extreme mobility and the way it could tear through conceptual barriers like paper.

Lost in thought, trying to find a way to deal with the Death Doll without dying, an idea struck me.

All this time, I’d been trying to out speed the Death Doll and take it head-to-head.

But what I really needed to do was focus on dodging its attacks, staying out of its line of sight, and waiting for the right opportunity to catch it off guard and destroy it quickly.

I guess I’ll give that a try next time.